The MUMN advised the general manager of the hospital that it would order its members to observe directives if the arbitration process did not begin by the end of April.

MUMN secretary general Colin Galea did not specify what action would be ordered. The MUMN said that last November the union and the hospital management agreed to take a disputed point in a proposed collective agreement to arbitration.

The union said the arbitration process had not even started and, as a result, a new collective agreement could not be signed. The union said it had urged the hospital management to get the matter sorted out, but to no avail.

The union said it would not hesitate to order industrial action and said it was not going to tolerate any more dragging of feet on the hospital’s part.